Vampire diariesthe return:phantom
by Mockingfire
Summary: my version of what happened after midnight-cause i cant wait for the next book   CONTAINS SPOILERS     they're back and everything's back to normal. or is it.   margarets having strange dreams and elena doesnt know what to do. and then there's Damon.
1. dear diary

**my version of the next book. please comment. i would also like to say that i own no rights to the vampire diaries they are the product of lj smiths brilliant imagination. i would also like to say that i dont care whether she was fired (YES, FIRED!) for writing too much Delena stuff, in my opinion they always have and always will belong to her. (GO DELENA). **

**SORRY ABOUT ANY SPELLING MISTAKES IT WAS A SPUR OF THE MOMENT THING**

_**Dear diary ****Its very strange, when I wake up I find it so hard to remember where I am ,or ****even ****who**** I am. Everything is back to normal or rather everything is how it was ****ten months ago. Well, not quite. I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact ****that he's not coming back. He's never going to… do anything ever again. What ****would I give to see him stroll in now. Everything would be perfect then but it's ****impossible. I know we've only just got back but I don't think I'll ever feel ****the same. I still have Stefan though and for that I am grateful and for the fact that the rest of us are still alive. Despite this though, I would give my life if it meant that he would live. Because at this moment half my heart is torn; the half that belonged… belongs to him. To Damon**__**. **_

Elena didn't realise she was crying until tears started to fall onto the page. Drip. Drip. Almost immediately she felt arms fold around her in a comforting embrace. She buried her face in Stefan's shirt clinging to him, trying to hold herself together. While he whispered soothing words in her ear and in her mind. 'I'm sorry, I have to stop crying all the time, I never used to.' Elena apologises when her tears had subsided, Stefan made no reply. 'it must be a hundred times worse for you, but I can't seem to help myself. Even his name…' Elena choked back another round of sobs. 'Shhh its alright love. I know.'

they sat together for a long time, Elena with her face buries in his chest and Stefan with his arms around her, holding her tightly.

_Stefan?_

_Yes_

_Where do you think he is? The celestial court said that they couldn't find vampire souls once the vampire died because they were already gone, but where could they go?_

_I don't know love, I wish I did. Maybe they were right. That we lose our souls the first time we die then we just. Go out._

'No!' Elena shouted. Stefan reminded her of the presence of her sleeping relatives and she once again reverted to telepathy.

_I don't believe that for a second and neither should you. When I died and became a spirit. My entire essence was my soul. I had no physical body but I could appear how ever I or anyone else wanted me to look _

She sent him an image of a pile of bones, via the link and Stefan shuddered at the memory

_But whatever form I was in , as you told Klaus. I was still me. My body on earth was…is just my shell. My soul is my identity. Without my soul inside a body there is nothing for to tell the body to function. Which is how I know you and other vampires have souls-not to mention the fact that I've been there and so did…so did Damon. He became human again, I mean. I wonder where a vampires soul goes when its body dies, not the same place as humans, obviously. But it must go somewhere._

Elena cut off the link and puzzled it over. Suddenly, the alarm went off , bringing her thoughts back to the present world and making her jump. Stefan of course Stefan wasn't effected and leant over to cut off its chimes before the thought had crossed her mind.

'my alarms still set for school? Huh, it seems so strange that I never graduated and never will. But everyone will remember it. Another thought crossed the front of her mind. 'I wonder what the date is?' she mused.

'July 13th' Stefan answered instantaneously. Elena looked at him quizzically.

'I made a point to find out when we got back.' he explained before adding in a lower voice. 'And today would have been Damon's birthday.'

They both sat in silence, for there was nothing to say. There way a muffled noise from down the hall. 'Margaret's awake. I should go.' he stood up 'the boarding house, ten o'clock' I'll see you there' Elena said

_and I love you._

She sent after him as he dropped from the sill onto the path below.

_I love you too_

He sent in reply with a single glace back at the house before getting in his car(the guardians had even got his car back) and driving off. Leaving Elena wondering about the fate of her own, shiny, red Ferrari.


	2. back to normal almost

_**hi here's the next chapter sorry it took so long, i had loads of exams so couldnt do much writing. the next chapter should be up soon. **_

_**amberxx**_

As Elena watched the rear lights fade away into the distance. _What am I going to do? _she thought to herself. Then something Stefan had said hit home_. Margaret's awake. _Margaret wouldn't remember that she had died, or any of the awful events of the last ten months. At least something good had come of their visit to the guardians. Before she could dwell anymore she pulled open the bedroom door and met her little sister rubbing her eyes sleepily.

'good morning Elena'

' 'morning sweetie did you sleep well.'

'I had a funny dream, there was a boy and he was asleep and it was snowing'

'that doesn't sound too bad' Elena said

'it was! The snow was icky and grey and there were sharpie bits on the floor. They hurt my feet.'

'oh, that doesn't sound nice. What else happened?'

'the boy woke up and said something, then I woke up.'

'what did he say?' Elena asked

'something about a bird I think. I'm hungry I'm going to get food.'

'okay honey' Elena gave her sister a kiss then went back into her room to get dressed shaking her head at simplicity of her worries, what she would give for dreams about grey snow to be the most worrisome thing in her life.

Elena looked at the clock 9:00 it read. Still an hour. She decided to check out the car situation she picked up her keys of the table and shouted towards the kitchen.' I'm going to the boarding house. I'll see you later' aunt Judith's reply came as no surprise. 'you forgot about breakfast. Again.' it was good to see that something never changed.

'I'm not hungry. Bye'

'take care'

'I will.' and with that she closed the front door behind her. She hadn't been telling the truth she was starving but she didn't want to face her aunt this morning, mostly because she was scared that she would remember that her niece had been dead for months.

Then Elena opened the garage and froze. In it was her Ferrari, the one she and Stefan had chosen. The one they had abandoned by the road when they had gone to rescue Stefan from prison in the dark dimensions. She turned her back on the car, unable to look because she didn't want…no, she _couldn't _bear to think about the last trip they'd made in it, just her matt and…

She closed the garage door then walked down the drive on to the sidewalk deciding that as she could control her emotions she would go on foot. She didn't pass many people, but all those she did raised a hand in greeting or called a 'good morning' which she returned as best she could. It was nice to see people going about their daily routine, unaware of anything that had troubled their town not Katherine or Klaus or the kitsune. It seemed so normal but there was something missing, someone…

Urgh, she had to stop this. She couldn't go on like this. As she passed a familiar shop window she had an idea and stopped to buy some flowers, three of them.

When she came out she crossed the road and took the path she had taken practically every day.

When the path widened to indicate the entrance to the church yard. Elena crossed the freshly mowed lawn to a pair of tombstones which signified the last resting place of her parents and laid a white rose on each, then instead of stopping there she continued past them to a family plot near the church building. She traced the names on the first two and when she reached the third she pulled out the third rose and laid it on the spot where Damon Salvatore had supposedly been buried over a century earlier, instead he lay on a distant moon worlds away, this flower had black petals, which contrasted with the whit e marble, it looked beautiful, like him, black on white, like his personality, kindness and loyalty masked by the poisoning effects of revenge, guilt and ultimately fear.

Elena sank to her knees by the empty grave, unable to stop the tidal wave of emotions which swept over he, she fought back tears which threatened to overflow, a single tear escaped and ran down her face. Elena was shaken from her abstractions by a loud screech. She looked up and had barely enough time to duck as a large midnight raven swooped from the tree and snatched the rose in its claws and flew away, taking the flower with it.

Elena watched the bird go.

_A raven_

She thought

_I wonder why Damon chose that as his animal form? _

She put the question from her mind it was too late now she would never know.

**_please review. i know it wasnt very exiting but over the next chapter or two that will change._**


	3. laughter and tears

Chapter 3- laughter and tears

She arrived just before ten and knocked. She had barely taken her hand from the door when it swung open to reveal Stefan.

'hi' she said. She tried to smile but she knew it didn't reach her eyes, but it was the best she could do under the circumstances.

'hi' he replied. A similar expression on his face. It tugged something in her heart and she flung her arms around him and sobbed. He returned her embrace and held her close both comfortingly and for comfort. Finally they pulled apart.

'you're early' Stefan said. This made her laugh though she wasn't sure why.

'by about two minutes'

'three actually' this made her laugh harder and Stefan joined in unable to stop himself. Both stood doubled over gasping for breath-despite the fact that Stefan didn't have to breath. Elena regained control and was about to ask where the others were when…

'Elena!' Bonnie practically screamed. She came bounding down the stairs taking them three at a time, and flung herself at Elena. She held her friend close then leaned back slightly to look at her, Bonnie's eyes told Elena that she had been crying but not excessively which was good but as well as the signs of shed tears Elena saw something else in the small girl's eyes. Fear. This shocked and confused her. Why would Bonnie be frightened of her?

''_She loved him too'' _

She remembered Stefan saying to her and then she realised. 'oh Bonnie, I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?'

'What! Forgive you? What for? It's my fault not yours I'm the one who climbed the stupid tree I should have stopped you all tried to stop me but I didn't listen and now Damon's gone and it's all my fault.'

'Stop. Listen to me Bonnie McCullough. You did nothing wrong it was not your fault. So get that out of your head right now, if anyone is to blame It's me. It's been my fault from the very beginning, even my parents death was my fault.'

'that is the biggest load of crap I have ever heard' Elena looked over Bonnie's head and saw matt and Meredith.

'Matt's right. You are not the cause of any of this I'll tell you who caused it. It was those damned _guardians_' she said their title in a sarcastic tone 'for manipulating people and not thinking things through properly , just thinking about how it would benefit them not the effects on everyone else.'

'actually' Stefan cut in, there's someone else who was manipulating thing long before Elena was born. Katherine, and that was my fault'

'it wasn't your fault'

'Yes it was, Damon isn't to blame at all, I can't blame him for loving her.' He paused 'or you. Love isn't a crime, but I was blind not to realise that was what he needed. He's been denied love so many times and I don't blame him for anything not even taking that damned black rose, because humanity means nothing without love and I know he didn't do it on purpose.'

'I wasn't talking about Damon, I was talking about Klaus.' Elena said.

'I know but I have to say it out loud because I never told him and I wish I had.'

' I know what you mean.' Elena was surprised to find that it was matt who spoke. 'It's strange, I didn't want to have anything to do with him but in those life and death moments like with Klaus I wanted nothing more than to see him striding out of the trees to help, and he always did.' Matt laughed without humour. '

Which is more than can be said for me.'

'MATT!' everyone shouted. Then they all laughed.

Then Meredith said 'The thing is we can't go around for eternity dwelling on all those what if's and maybe's' Meredith had always been wise beyond her years, which is what made her such a great friend; Bonnie was the youth the one to cheer you up and Meredith was the logic and calm and Matt was like a brother to her and the other two, the protector, then there was her, Elena. Who wasn't really anything.

'if that's what you really think you don't know a thing about yourself or anyone else here'. Stefan said. She forgot about the telepathy and made a note to protect her thoughts better.

'I know it is Stefan, you all do so much and all I'm good at is attracting trouble in the first place.'

'that's not how I see it.' said a voice from the kitchen doorway. 'Mrs flowers!' Elena exclaimed in delight.

'dear, you really don't see yourself clearly, If I remember rightly it was you who got rid of that Katherine, at the cost of your own life.'

'yeah,' said Matt 'and even after you died you still protected fells church, you got rid of Klaus!'

'and you came to rescue me from the dark dimensions' Bonnie piped up 'and destroyed that horrid tree with the star ball in it, saving the town again.'

'and you bargained with the celestial court and got them to listen to you even though it meant the loss of your Wings powers.'

Lastly Stefan spoke 'And you're the one who found me in that old well, the one who travelled to the dark dimensions as a slave to break me out of prison. And most importantly, you brought my brother back to me and helped him find himself and know happiness and love again, which means more than I can tell you.'

'without Elena we wouldn't have had anything to do with Damon, but she saw something inside him that no one else saw.' Matt added.

'So you see dear, you are much more to people than just Elena Gilbert. You merely need to think about it. Come on through to the kitchen, I've got some lemonade and cookies for you all.' they smiled gratefully at the old lady and followed her into the next room.


	4. knock knock

Chapter 4- knock knock

'it's really strange' bonnie said.

'what is?' matt asked.

'the fact that only us know what really happened in the last ten months, that they don't remember any of it. Not that I'm complaining, it's just odd. I suppose I thought that they'd still remember parts of it and it's hard because I can't talk about it to anyone.'

'that's not true, you have us' Meredith said

'I know, but I can't even talk to my parents, if I started rambling on about vampires, werewolves and kitsune or even witched they'd think I was crazy and would probably send me to a shrink or something. I know I would'

'I understand,' Elena said 'I was so scared this morning when I went down that Margaret or aunt Judith would suddenly remember that I was dead and freak out, but of course she didn't.'

Elena broke off and looked around her at her friends who had stuck by her, even at the edge of doom those who would follow her to their deaths if need be.

'why?' she wondered

'huh?'

'why, do you go along with what I say and help me? you don't have to.'

Meredith said 'because we're your friends and true friend don't just drop you if something happens they stick by you, always. The thing is Elena we trust you because you, are you. You're loyal and determined and true to your word ,

Elena sank to her knees by the empty grave, unable to stop the tidal wave of emotions which swept over he, she fought back teareally Elena, you're a fighter and you need someone like that to lead you. Also I don't think it would make all that much difference whether we were your friend or not because we went along because we believe in doing something not just sitting back and letting bad things happen. We did it as much for ourselves and for fells church as for you. So think about that before you go blaming yourself over everything that goes wrong remember that we made our own decisions and the implications of our decisions are our problem.'

The others in the room nodded in agreement which caused Elena's heart to swell in affection towards them all.

'I'm sorry, it's just so…' she didn't know how to finish.

Meredith saved her from continuing 'we understand, and the thing is even though it's difficult, just think what we've been through, after that there isn't much we shouldn't be able to do as long as we stick together'

'one' a voice said suddenly they all looked around and saw it was bonnie. She was staring not at them but at the hearth where a small fire cracked as always. Elena recognised the signs of Bonnie's visions and put a finger to her lips to prevent the other from interrupting.

'a lone wolf from the snow is coming through the woods, returning to his pack. And a rose is blooming and will show the thorns amid her petals.'

The fire flared up briefly then extinguished and Bonnie blinked and shook her curls as though to clear her head.

'what?' she asked 'what did I do?' then she understood. 'oh no! not again. what did I say?'

They looked around at each other unsure what they should say eventually they all turned to Elena who said 'um, you said that a lone wolf coming from the snow would rejoin his true pack and that a flower, a rose is blooming and showing its thorns.'

'well almost.' Meredith intervened 'she actually said that the wolf would return to his true pack, she didn't say anything about him actually being accepted back and _rejoining_ it and the other thing was that the rose would bloom and show the thorns amid _her_ petals.'

'what difference does it make?' matt asked. Elena answered catching Meredith's train of thought.

'it's important because it means that these are actually a person being represented by a rose which makes it likely that the wolf also signifies a person as well.'

'exactly' Meredith said and Stefan continued where Elena had left off.

'and these events will effect us in some way as all of Bonnie's past predictions have which means that somewhere a boy or man from somewhere in the snow is on his way to back to his true pack which most likely means his family but whether they accept him back is another matter which will probably affect the following events in some way.' Mrs flowers who had been sitting very quietly then spoke.

'so that would also mean that somewhere, possibly near to this wolf, there is a girl who isn't all that she seems and could be a danger to us and possibly herself also.'

'the wolf could be Sage, couldn't it?' bonnie asked.

'maybe, we can't know for certain except that it can't be anyone here at the moment. And as for the girl it could be anyone we know, maybe even someone we don't.

Knock knock

The loud bangs echoed throughout the building startling the group.

'I'll get it' volunteered Elena and rose from her chair.

She walked into the hallway and up to the door. Pulled back the dead bolt. Swung open the door and froze and she met a pair of midnight black eyes.

'been a bloody nightmare, trying to get back here' and with that the person collapsed onto the ground by her feet. She stood staring wide eyed at the prone figure before her unable to deny what her eyes told her despite the impossibility of it. Because the person lying at her feet was someone who she had died in her arms only yesterday. Because the person before her, was Damon Salvatore.


	5. heating up

_I'm soooooooo sorry it's taken me so long to update I was on holiday and forgot my laptop charger. Sorry again. Well here it is and things are going to get HOT._

Chapter 5

Elena stared I shock then she called Stefan telepathically knowing he would hear her.

Stefan I think you should come see this

What's wrong?' he said aloud he broke off as he took in the strange scene before him, he caught sight of the prone figure lying at Elena's feet. Though he couldn't see the persons face he recognised the dark hair at a glance but could hardly bring himself to believe.

'Damon?' he whispered while concurrently shaking his head to deny what his eyes where telling him.

Elena knelt down and brushed the dark hair gently out of his face, then looked over at Stefan tears forming in her eyes.

'I don't know how its possible but it's him Stefan. It really is.'

At that moment Meredith came out

'are you guys alright, what's taking you so long…oh' she said, then… 'OH! Is that…? Elena nodded not trusting her voice.

'Oh my God! Bonnie, Matt, Mrs Flowers come quick!'

Matt sprinted in followed by bonnie and lastly Mrs flowers who took one look then took control.

'Oh my days' she said then looked at the others all staring in shock.

'what are you standing around for? Come on.' then she turned and addressed each of them.

'Stefan, carry him upstairs first room on the left. Elena, bonnie, go with him, get a damp cloth. Meredith come with me and matt fond some clean clothes for him' there was a moments pause and then everyone sprung into action. Stefan scooped up his brother and ran upstairs at vampire speed.

Bonnie and Elena followed taking the steps two at a time. Matt ran in the direction of Stefan's room to get clothes and Meredith tailed Mrs Flowers into the kitchen.

Stefan's mind was a jumble from the moment he saw his bother unconscious on the ground

He felt neither elated, or even overly surprised. No, the first emotions that washed over him were of confusion and dread. The former because the likelihood of seeing Damon Salvatore at someone's feet conscious or otherwise was almost unheard of, and the latter was not at seeing his brother supposedly brought back from the dead but because as he ascended the stairs followed by the two girls, in his mind a piece of the puzzle-namely Bonnie's prediction-had fallen into place. This made him suspect that the other event would soon come to pass, if they weren't already.

Elena reached the top of the stairs, Bonnie at her heel. They turned left into the room Damon had always occupied when 'visiting' and stood by the doorway unsure about what to do with themselves. Sefan had put Damon on the bed and was kneeling at the side.

Slowly approached him and laid a hand on is shoulder, he turned his head round at the contact.

'why?' he asked. Elena looked at him questioningly.

'why has he come back? What did I do to get a second chance?' He wasn't really addressing her his gaze was pointed in her direction but he was focused on something far behind her, in the past.

'or maybe,' he continued 'it was punishment I was being shown the full effects of my actions, what would have happened without Katherine's blood in his system'

'here's the cloth' Bonnie broke in softly holding out a damp cloth for Elena to see. 'should I…?' Elena nodded and watched as she crossed to the bed an laid a small hand gently on Damon's forehead. She felt it 'he's very warm' she commented then laid the wwet material on his brow.

Elena's attention turned back to Stefan who was now muttering to himself about ifs and whys. If he hadn't been he would have noticed the fault in Bonnie's words and but even if he had he couldn't have predicted or prevented the next events.

Elena tried to break Stefan from his trance and didn't notice the movement from the bed neither did bonnie who had turned to Elena.

'Stefan! Stop it!' was the first thing the eldest Salvatore brother heard as he opened his eyes.

Then Stefan went up in flames.

_please review _

_i'll post the next chapter soon _


	6. choices

_Sorry for the wait guys, here's the next chapter_

Bonnie shrieked as the flames engulfed Stefan. Elena was too frightened to utter a sound, she whirled around and saw Damon sitting bolt upright, eyes fixed on Stefan, then she realised.

'DAMON! NO!' she screamed 'STOP YOU'LL KILL HIM!'

His eyes flickered to her and just like that, the flames vanished.

Stefan fell to the floor. 'Stefan!' Elena shouted as she ran to him 'Are you alright?'

He looked down at him self expecting to look like charcoal.

'I'm… _fine'_ he said sounding obviously surprised to find him self so, which under the circumstances, so was everyone else. Except for…

'how did you do that?' Stefan asked Damon who had lowered himself back down onto the bed. Damon looked hard at Stefan, eyes narrowed and his brow creased in concentration.

'Damon?' Elena asked. Damon turned to look at her and his cautious expression was replaced with an unnerving smile, however it wasn't the same devil-may-care grin she had seen before, this was one of genuine happiness the likes of which she had never seen in his face, which unnerved her more than his old heart-stopping smile. , something was definitely different about Damon, Something was very wrong. Or right.

'Elena' he said simply, without a trace of witty humour, and the new smile never left his face. It was as if…yes, of course!…

'are you alright?' matt practically yelled as he

sprinted into the room.

He stopped and looked at them. He saw Damon.

'oh good you're awake, never thought I'd say this but I'm glad you're back.'

Damon looked at matt 'um…thanks I think.' then he said 'who are you?'

Matt stared dumbstruck, he couldn't remember the last time Damon had addressed him in any way pleasantly.

'what? you're joking right?' matt asked

Elena broke in.

'I think I can explain what's going on, or at least some of it, but we need to wait for Meredith and Mrs flowers' the others nodded in agreement. They waited in silence until the pair arrived.

'right, Damon?' Elena asked as everyone turned to face her,

'I need to ask you a few questions'

'anything for you, Elena.' he said meeting her gaze and the sincerity she saw there made her heart beat falter.

She blinked to clear her head before speaking again.

'well I need to know what you remember'

He thought for a moment before answering.

'not much. I remember that my name is Damon and you are Elena and I know you as well, liitle red bird.' he added glancing over at bonnie. 'but that is pretty much it.'

Elena studied him carefully.

'You don't remember anything else? Then how did you find your way here? What happened?'

'I woke up and everything was covered with grey snow, even me. I lay there for a while not knowing where I was or how I got there, then I got an image, it was of thee two of you, and I knew that I had to find you but I wasn't sure why. So I started walking and I came to a door it was open so I went through and I found myself here I had no idea where I was but I had a feeling that I was supposed to be here so I knocked. And you answered the door and then I passed out I think it was just from tiredness, you see I must have been walking about a day and I didn't stop to rest because I thought that I wouldn't get up again and I'd never find you. You kept me going.'

Elena was stuck for words, Stefan's voice finally cut through the silence.

'you...you don't know who I am?' he asked. Damon looked at him over. ' I recognise your face, but I can't put a name to it or remember how I know you.'

'but, I'm…I'm your brother.'

Damon looke to the two girls for confirmation.

Bonnie nodded wordlessly,

'yes, he is' Elena told him, then pointed to each of thee other in turn. 'this is Meredith, mine and Bonnie's best friend since, well since forever, this is Mrs flowers she owns the boarding house, that's where we are now, and this is matt.'

'otherwise known as Mutt' matt added.

'Mutt? that's a stupid what idiot gave you that idiotic nickname?'

The room exploded into laughter at this. Damon stared around puzzled.

'you, did!' matt chuckled.

'oh' Damon said , then started laughing as well. The sound was so carefree and almost childish…

'that's it!' exclaimed Elena

'what?' Stefan asked.

'you know how I told you about the child, the young Damon in his mind all chained up. Stefan and bonnie nodded. 'well, just before…you know?' they nodded again.

'the real Damon set him free before and I think that's why he seems different, happier but I'm still not sure why he doesn't remember anyone apart from bonnie and I.'

Bonnie spoke up 'you were the last person he spoke to though, so it makes sense that he should remember you and you spent the most time with the young Damon'

'You're right, and you spoke to him as well as Elena, but why doesn't he remember me?' Stefan asked.

'I don't know' Elena sighed..

'I think I might.' Mrs flowers said.

'I believe that you are correct about the child however I think that the reason Damon's memories are barred from him may be entirely down to Damon himself'

'what do you mean?' Damon asked. 'why would I take away my own memories?'

'because, you were ashamed of them'

'that makes sense 'Elena said 'it's why you chained the young you up inside your mind, because you didn't want to feel.'

'so' Meredith added 'that means it depends on you to unlock your memories.'

'but how?' he asked.

Elena knelt down next to the bed and looked him in the eye.

'you need to forgive yourself.' she thought for a moment then said

'I forgive you.'

'me too' said matt stepping forwards.

'and me' said bonnie

'I forgive you' Meredith told him.

'as do I. Mrs flowers said. They turned to Stefan who was looking at his brothers emotions danced behind his eyes, but after what seemed like an eternity he stepped forward and spoke.

'there's nothing to forgive.' he said and smiled.

Elena watched the two brothers exchange smiles and felt her heart tug. Tears welled up in her eyes and she got up and ran from the room before anyone could see them fall.

What was she going to do?


	7. hidden messages

_**sorry it's such a short chapter but because it took so long for me to put up chapter 6 I thought I'd post two for you all to make up for it.**_

_**please comment!**_

Elena ran down the stairs without looking to see if anyone had followed her she didn't care, she just had to get away. She flung herself down on the sofa and sobbed.

She couldn't do this any longer.

It wasn't fair on the two of them and she didn't know how much more her heart could bear, she'd lost them both so many times and now …

'Elena?' a gentle voice asked from behind her Elena raised her head and through her tears made out the figure of Meredith.

'oh, honey.' her friend exclaimed. And put her arms around Elena letting her cry on her shoulder.

'what's the matter?'

'I can't do this anymore' Elena cried.

'do what?' but her tone of voice said she already knew.

'the two of them…I can't…I just…' then she broke into a new round of sobs.

'shh, its alright, I understand, but we will have to think of something.'

'I know, I know, but I don't know what to do. I can't hurt them.'

Meredith pulled back and looked at her friend at arms length.

'you have to.' she said firmly.

'I know you don't want to hurt them but leading them on will hurt them more when the time comes.

I think you should hold back from both of them until you can decide, for your sake as much as theirs. '

'you're right, as usual. I don't know what I'd do without you'

'you'd be a wreck.' Meredith told her matter of factly. The two girls looked each other in the eye then burst out laughing.

Elena looked behind Meredith, Meredith noticed and said

'their all upstairs, I told them to let me come on my own.'

'you're the only one I can talk to about this, I can't talk to bonnie, I feel cruel. She loves him.'

'yes, she does. But' Meredith continued 'she loves him like she loves you and me as a sibling. Even if she hasn't realised it yet. And I think it's the same for Damon. Which reminds me, how's your little sister?'

Elena smiled, Meredith always knew how to change the subject.

'she's fine. A bit taller than I last saw her. I couldn't believe it when I stepped out my room and saw her standing there, as if nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened. It seemed so normal but at the same time the strangest thing in the world to ask her if she slept well. I almost laughed when she told me she was worried because she'd had a dream about grey snow she said it like it was the worst thing in the world.'

'grey snow?'

'yes' Elena laughed 'she said she dreamt about icky grey snow that made her cough and a boy.' she trailed off and something clicked together in her mind.

'oh my god! She said the boy said something about a bird.'

'little redbird.' Meredith breathed.

They looked at each other and gasped in unison as realisation struck them.

'Damon!'


	8. Authors note

I'm soooooooo sorry for the wait I know I haven't posted in ages have had exams and loads of course work and stuff so haven't done much writing plus my laptop had been at the repair shop for about 2/3 months! But I will try and have the next chapter up soon!

p.s. sorry if you thought this was chapter 8, will have it posted soon. promise!


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